Purdue tops Clemson in ACC/Big 10 Challenge

CLEMSON, S.C. — D.J. Byrd had 20 of his 22 points and six 3-pointers in the first half as Purdue built a big lead and held on to defeat Clemson 73-61 in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge on Wednesday night.

The Boilermakers (3-3) won in the conference challenge for a fourth consecutive year and did on the strength of their early outside shooting. Byrd was 6 of 9 from beyond the arc while Purdue had seven threes overall to lead 42-22 at the break.

Clemson (4-2) cut the 23-point lead to 68-59 on Adonis Filer’s 3-pointer with 1:31 remaining but got no closer. The Tigers played without suspended leading scorer Milton Jennings, who was arrested on a drug possession charge earlier Wednesday.

Byrd finished with 22 points and Terone Johnson 13 for Purdue.

Devin Booker had 18 points to lead the Tigers. Bernard Sullivan started in place of the 6-foot-9 Jennings and missed both shots he attempted.

Jennings was charged with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana or 10 grams or less of hash. Police say they went to Jennings on-campus apartment after a disabled smoke alarm sent authorities a signal. It was the third time in past 11 months Jennings has missed time because of suspensions for various violations.

K.J. McDaniels was Clemson’s only other player in double figures with 15 points.

A.J. Hammons and Ronnie Johnson each had 10 points for the Boilermakers.

Clemson hoped to build on winning the last two games at last week’s Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla. But things went wrong for the Tigers even before the game with Jennings transgression. The team’s only other upperclassman, the 6-foot-8 Booker, missed afternoon shoot-around because of a family illness, although he returned in time to start against the Boilermakers.

No. 22 ILLINOIS 75, GEORGIA TECH 62

In Champaign, Ill., Joseph Bertrand made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions and scored every point in a 10-0 run to lead Illinois (8-0) over Georgia Tech (4-2) in an ACC-Big Ten Challenge game.

Illinois took charge behind Bertrand. The Illini finished the game on a 21-4 run.

Kammeon Holsey led Georgia Tech (4-2) with 14 points.

No. 2 DUKE 73, No. 4 OHIO STATE 68

In Durham, N.C., Mason Plumlee had 21 points and 17 rebounds and No. 2 Duke rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 4 Ohio State in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge.

The Blue Devils (6-0) were down 31-23 at the half before outscoring the Buckeyes 50-37 over the final 20 minutes.Rasheed Sulaimon added 17 points, Ryan Kelly 15 and Quinn Cook 12 for Duke.

In Omaha, Neb., Derrick Marks scored a career-high 35 points, including 18 in a row in the second half, and Boise State (5-1) upset Creighton (6-1).

The Broncos (5-1) beat a ranked opponent for the first time in four seasons and on the road for the first time since March 2005.Creighton (6-1) hadn’t lost a regular-season November home game since 1989.

MIAMI 67, NO. 13 MICHIGAN STATE 59

In Coral Gables, Fla., senior Trey McKinney Jones scored a career-high 18 points and Miami held Michigan State without a field goal for a pivotal 5½-minute stretch in the second half in a victory.

McKinney Jones went 5 for 7 from 3-point range, including a basket that capped a 14-2 run to start the second half that put them ahead 41-33.

The lead grew to 57-45, and they went 8 for 8 from the free throw line over the final 2:11 to seal the victory.